Staple feeder



w. scHAFRoTH 2,439,189

STEELE FEEDER Filed Nov. 19, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 6, 1948.

W N @m m. m NW N\ Q\ Q WN .E mw] S m 4 L EN KRW-lul Y Q w lM E m f \m/ M Y is w E .E E E@ 5M E April 6, 1948. w. scHAFRoTH STAPLE FEEDER Filed Nov. 19, 1945 l N V EN TOR. Mx/Ee 5 m1560171 Hfs 4 T Toen/5- af.

pn #Tl 1948. W. SCHAFROTH STAPLE FEEDER Filed Nov. 19, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 6, 1948 STAPLE FEEDER Werner Schafroth, Brookline, Pa., assignor to International Staple and Machine Company, Clifton Heights, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 19, 1945, Serial No. 629,355

9 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyors for feeding devices, such as staples, to stapling machines, where the stapling machines are used for continuous operation and the delay in stopping the machine for refilling the staple cartridge or strip would be objectionable.

More in particular the invention has to do with stapling machines for fastening edges of cardboard or corrugated paper containers traveling from anlassembly or lling line where the containers are fed continuously and stoppage would hold up the entire line.

It also relates tocontainers 'that are fastened or closed Vat both the top and bottom or on two sides, so that it is necessary to feed the staples from the top or bottom or from either side.

Staples 'are normally fed` in strips from storage hoppers, and those used on the upper sides of the containers are `fed with theirv ends or legs extending downward,whereas those used on the underside are fed with theirends or legs extending upward.` I .l

The staples are supplied in strips inwhich they are held together attheir edges only by an adhesive, and as they arevreadilyfbroken, it is necessary that the feeder oper Ate with,v a Acomparatively easy or smooth motion. 1 `Another important condition in the successful operation of this feeding mechanism is` that whereas continuous operation is essential in the feeder, the stapling machine being fed thereby must stop to move` one carton therefrom and another in place thereon and, therefore, it is impossible to positively synchronize the operation of the two machines, so ,that` the feeder must be constructed to Vprovide slippage between the staples and feeding mechanism. With these features in mind, the object of this` invention is to feed staples with the points or legs up or down, by frictional engagement, which` permits slippage `and at the same time-keeps a yielding pressure against the staplesatzall times.

Another object is toprovide means for main-- taining tension through a belt upon objects travcling upon the belt, in .which the belt is used as the feeding agent of said objects.

Another object of this inventionisy to provide means wherebyobjects may `be, freely fed to a feeding beltin which the objects` are picked up and fed by the belt through frictional` engage-` ment;A therewith. t l i Another object is :to provide a continuous feeding mechanism which` at the same time provides no Vobstruction so;that the feeding agent Amay pass by the objectsl thereon, beingfedthereby. When the traveling action of the said objects is stopped.

Another object of this invention is 'to provide a continuous feeder having a central track with rails along which the objects travel, in which open areas are provided at the sides so that the said objects are only engaged at their intermediate portions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a continuous feeding mechanism in which endless belts are employed and means is provided for taking up the tension of the belt.

Another object is to provide support members for holding tension devices against the underside' of the belt of a conveyor in which the support members are held from one side only to facilitate assembling the framework.

Another object'is to provide overheadV guard rails against which objects on a feeding: belt conveyor may :be resiliently held to expedite feeding. E

Another object is to provide `a` floating friction rail on the underside of the belt of a feeding conveyor and means for holding saidfloating rail against endwise movement thereof.

Another object is to provide a feeding mechanism for staples and the like in which the staples are frictionally held by their upper and lower sides, and at the same time located laterally without engagement of the ends thereof.

A further object of this 'invention is to provide a friction staple feeder which may be used for staples of substantialy any type.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combination staple feeding mechanism having units for feeding opposite strips of staples with legs or points of one strip extending upward and those of the other strip extending downward, in which either unit thereof may be used as a feeder independently.

And a still further object rof this invention is to provide a staple feeding mechanism having conveyors with friction holding means incombination therewith, which are adapted to take strips of staples from hoppers and feedthe said strips to stapling machines, which is of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages such as arise in connection with the building, design and operation of a staple feeding machine in accordance with the above notedobjectives will in part become apparent, and in part be hereinafter stated, as the description of the invention proceeds. l e

In order that these and other objects may be Successfully accomplished, the feeder and feeding conveyors are mounted in suitable frames comprising center and side guide rails and guards, side plat-es and bearings in which pulleys of the conveyors are mounted, and suitable storage and feeding hoppers in which strips of staples may be stored. and, from. whichthey may be directly fed to the feeding conveyors,

More in detail the invention embodies endless belts mounted on pulleys with tension adjusting means at the ends, a floating plate forming a rail on one side of the belts, with springs urg.-v ing the plates against the belt, rails 'at the sides or above the belts upori,-v\1,hich.Stlplesrnayv travel, with their points or legsextending in open areas at the sides of the rails, guard rails positioned in opposite relationtothe said.v former rails, and against which the staples are frictionally held as they travel, and storage and feeding hopperspositiorred atf theends and above the saidV belts.

For a full. and mQre Complete understanding reference may be 'l'iadj- 'tQjthe following 'description and` acornpariying drawings wherein Figure 1,l isa perspeotivejview showing the overhead feeder. with the intermediate part broken away and with the guard rails removed and shown above.

l'igurejz is a typical cross section through the intermediate party of,` the ff1ee ier.

Figure 3 is, a view showing an end elevation with an endpllate removed.

Figure Llisa typicalcross sectionv through the conveyor-f with parts, orriitted and with the belt and. pulley thereefjsillown; in elevation.

Figure '5V shows a. side elevation ofi a `modified feeder for .theunderside 'oiga eentairlenwlth part of. the. interrnfediateV portion 'broken' away.

Figuren 'is afar-pss.,A sectipn, on line` 6--5 of' Figure 5.

Figure-.lisa Cross section through the intermediate portion., of .theonveyorjwiththe driving pulley. emitted;

Figure 8 is alonsltudirlal sentieri. showing-thee belt.pulleys.,friritibnallllbating rail and; support memberavrithiene olf;thesupnortmembersshown insertion..

Because. AQi' ,the neeular nature O f! the material being fed, the units eftheeonveyine meansl cari.- not4 beA4 reuersedrorjinvertled and; therefore, that nertioilotthe feeder emnloveldgfbrjfeedingstanles.

to the upper sideso. cQntrllner 'isillustratedv in Eigures 1, to 4; irilusiye,` and' thatl portion used' fer feedlna Stanles .inthe-underside off C;ntalners. in. Eisures '5., to. '8l inelilsive.,

Referring. newi to. 'drawings wherein like reerenee, eliaraetersfdennie eerresnendlne parte.,

a. Staple 'readme machine. made ln `accordance with this inventioncgimprses anA endless belt IS mpuntedonrilllersgll and. i12" with the pulleys meurltesll: sidesl'zarirl litwhieh are heldtogether-br. screws |15; head'pu'lley `lil is previdged with a l ,6' rotatably. 'heldI in bea-rings ll" and .thetailpulley54 llisgproyided'with a shaftV le: rotatably mounted-in. s l'dlrlabloeks 9 and'.

2o', andthe blocks` areY provided with tonguesl 2l and 22 that extendH into .slots Z providing sliding movementgtotake ,upv or adjust tension in the belt. Theblo'cks I19`and2'are adjustably -heldi byscrews 42,41" and`2 in anend'eplate 26;

Atgthe sides offthe beltV IU, are rails 2"l`and2t`ij which are substantially on4 the same elevation as the upper surface of the belt so that they mayengage theginner orY undersurfagces of the'intermediate portions ofthe staples which'V are ind-iaseaiee 4 cated by the numeral 29. The belt is resiliently held upward against the staples by floating plate Si! and this is held upward by springs 3l resting upon support members 32.

It will be understood that springs of any other type may be used or resilient members may be providedin any manner to urge the floating member 3l] against the underside -ofi the belt. Y

Tt will 'be noted that one end of the plate 3Q is. curved downward, as shown at the point 33 and a stop 34 is also provided to prevent the plate moving forward by frictional engagement with the traveling belt. Y

The .feeder-eis alsp'provided with guard rails 3.5 and? Syheldf.tothe side by screws 31 and 33 and these are positioned to engage the upper surfacesoffthezstaples, as shown in Figure 2, so that the, staples may be held between the upper surface Lof the belt and. these rails and thereby riotionally held so that-they will travel with the belt`, but at the same tiinelbeingl free sothat when -thestaples contacta stop;y the movement thereofz may vcease Y whilethe .belt continues -to travel: Y The sides or theconveyorl 'are provided-Y with open areas 39 and 40 in whichtlfieerldsofj theA staples may bee located sotha-t they arefree -to travel without engagement with any formfoff Y, obstruction. The sjtaplesfmaybe fedi from the rails 2! and 2-8 directly'- to a staplingV machine with the staples passing upon Va` "lavar-orV part thereof. i

At one end of# theoenveyorr is a :hop'pierfi l5 in which; stripsoff*staplesv mayfbe stored and`4 `fir-ornwhich `tlliey rma-y bei fed-'- to `the conveyor belt. The hopper may]A be of fazry'sizes or type and, whereas lthel design-shown 1t--'is attached to the upperedges-off the sides ofelthe conveyor-=by screws 424 through flanges 4&3, it'- will-y be understoodf that it 'mayj be mounted upon or attached'- tov the conveyor inany-suitable manner.

The underside of the hopper is open andthe Y staples '219,"beingfprovidedl inl-strips asindicated by the numeral Mgjmay-drop uponv the' upper-- surf-ace of -the-belt`, as-shown in- AFigure' 44', as onestrip passes vthrough an opening 45 a1'rthe for ward end of therhopper:

Inthe design, shownfinffliigures-to it. an'end- .Y

less belt- 46; `corresponding 'to the beltf M isJ mountedL upon the pulleys N and4v 462 with shafts- 4'9 and: E'rfrotatablyfmounted: side-` plates 51 and? 52; and-withetheshaIt-A lextending- ,outwardi andv provided.- with af pulleyL 253i which` tha/de" ingtoeule plate su; is provided balearen EZB-positionedy` toengage `-the inner surfaces :of-"the staples andlagainst which ther staples are-furged or resiliently held by the plate ISiti-fand'atl the siflesofx the frame ware-:guard railsI 635 andi-64 which engage thef-lunderwsurfaces ofi thei staples. at the. ends,v roviding slidngf andY travelingmeans therefor. as shown infFig-urer'? V e The rails V63 and 84 are held to the frame 60 by screws 65 and at one end of the feeder the rails are provided with bearings 66 in which the shaft 49 is rotatably mounted. The shaft 50 at the opposite end is rotatably mounted directllr in the plates and 52 and these are not connected to the rails 63 and Bil.

At the opposite end of the feeder, the rails 63 and 64 are attached to spacing strips 6l and 68 and upon these a storage and feeding hopper 69 is mounted, as shown in Figure 5.

The forward end of the hopper is provided with a flange 1&0 by which it is held to the frame 60 by screws 1|, and the vframe and side plates 5I `and 52 areresiliently held together by springs l2 at the sides, the springs being held in the ends of cross bars 13 and 14, the bar 'I3 extending across vthe upper side of the frame and` the bar 'i4 extending across the lower side or edges of the plates 5I and t2.V

The hopper 69 may also be of any size and adapted to hold as many strips of staples as may be desired, and it will be noted that one end I5 thereof is inclined, thereby providing means for feeding the strips of staples toward the opposite end where they may readily be picked up by the belt.

In this design, the strips of staples are placed in the hopper with their points or legs extending upward and the frame 60 is formed with openings 16 and 'll through which the upwardly extending ends of the staples may pass Without obstruction.

While the mode of operation of each of the above described parts will be understood from the foregoing specification, a comprehensive description of the operation of the feeder is hereinafter set forth.

With the feeding conveyors arranged either separately or in combination. and with the hoppers filled or containing strips of staples, the endless belts may be operated with their upper portions traveling away from the hoppers, and as strips of staples drop upon the belt, the belt will carry them under or above the guard rails, as the case may be, where they will be frictionally gripped between the belt and rails. They will then travel with the belt until they are fed from the belt to the stapling machines and should they engage stops on the machines, the train of staples may stop, whereas the belt will continue to move.

Then as each staple is used, the staple will be continuously fed so that one is always in position for use by the stapling machines. Frictionally holding the staples in this manner makes it possible to insure the presence of a staple at the desired points in the stapling machines continuously and without interruption, and as the supply of staples in the hoppers may be replenished while the feeders are operating, the stapling machines are not required to stop when the supply of staples in the feeders is being replenished.

While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A staple feeding device comprising rails positioned to contact the intermediate portions of the staples, 4with open passages at thesides of the rails for freie passageof the ends of the staples, a moving belt-positioned between the rails adapted `to, Contact, the intermediate portions of the staples, meansresiliently holding the 'belt against the staples, guard rails positioned Aabove the belt and 'staples against which the said resilient means holdsithe staples, and means feeding said staples `to `the .said belt.

2r A `staple Afeeder comprising an endless belt, means feeding staples to-the belt with the ends 'of `the staples extending downwardly, guide rails at thesides of the belt providing sliding contact with Ithe intermediate portions of the staples, guard rails above the belt also providing sliding contact with the staples, and means resiliently urging'the belt: and` staples thereon toward the guard rails, above the belt. l

3. Astaple feeder comprising an endless belt, means feeding staples to -the belt with the ends of the' staples extending upwardly, rails at the sides cf the belt providing sliding contact with the intermediate portions of the staples, other rails above the belt also providing sliding contact With the staples, means resiliently urging the belt and staples thereon toward the said other rails above the belt, and means adjusting the tension of the belt.

4. A staple feeder comprising an endless belt, means feeding staples to the belt with the ends cf the staples extending downwardly, guide rails at the sides of the belt providing sliding contact with the intermediate portions of the staples, guard rails above the belt also providing sliding contact with the staples, and means resiliently urging the belt and staples thereon toward the guard rails above the belt, said feeder providing slippage between the belt and staples so that certain staples may continue to travel when other staples stop.

5. A staple feeding device comprising a traveling belt, means at the sides of the belt providing sliding contact thereover with the under surface of the staples frictionally engaged with the belt, superimposed means positioned to provide sliding contact with the upper surfaces of the staples, said superimposed and said first mentioned means dening a passageway therebetween, said passageway providing free and unobstructed passage for the ends of staples, a floating plate contacting the said belt, and other means resiliently urging said floating plate toward the belt.

6. A staple feeding device comprising a traveling belt, rails at the sides of the belt providing sliding contact thereover with the under surface of staples frictionally engaged with the belt, superimposed rails positioned to provide sliding contact with the upper surfaces of the staples, said superimposed and said first mentioned rails defining a passageway therebetween, said passageway providing free and unobstructed passage for the ends of staples, a floating plate contacting the said belt, means to vary the tension of the belt, and means to permit the removal of the superimposed rails, when desired.

7. A staple feeding device comprising a traveling belt, rails at the sides of the belt providing sliding contact thereover with the under surface of staples frictionally engaged with the belt, superimposed rails positioned to provide sliding contact with the upper surfaces of the staples, said superimposed and said first mentioned rails defining a passageway therebetween, said passageway providing free and unobstructed passage for the ends of staples, a floating plate contactsaidimtermemarapomn,andfaddmnnanmeans res'ilientlls urging 'the belt :andizstaples ithereon towardisaidfothermeans. Y

Y :REFERENCES-.Gunn

The following references ware f xrecod; hrA the Vefcf *this patent:

UNITED :STATES yBAJIEbIIIwS 

